New WR Kevin Ogletree: "Things happen for a reason"

It's been a busy two days for new Lions receiver Kevin Ogletree, who says he wants to help any way he can

Here one day gone the next.

New Detroit Lions receiver Kevin Ogletree knows the business side of the NFL better than anyone.

Ogletree was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tuesday morning. Wednesday afternoon, he was a Detroit Lion.

WR Kevin Ogletree

"Things happen and they all happen for a reason," Ogletree said after practice Thursday in front of his new locker. "I’m just glad to be here.

"I want to contribute and help this team the best way that I can."

Where and when exactly that will be is still being figured out.

The Lions signed the fifth-year receiver to add depth a receiving corps dealing with the loss of veteran Nate Burleson (broken forearm).

"That’s all yet to be really determined on how much he’ll do and where he’ll play," head coach Jim Schwartz said. "He’s a young veteran. He has a little bit of experience. He has good size. He has really good strength. He has good speed.

"We had done some research on him last year during free agency and we like what we saw from Dallas. It was a little bit hard to judge this season with just the way their team was going with the quarterback and stuff like that. We’ll get him up to speed as quickly as we can and see what he can do."

Ogletree, 26, has played most of his career on the outside, but says he can also play inside in the slot. He has good size (6-1, 198) and speed and has experience in both spots.

Currently, the Lions have just one true slot receiver on the roster in Ryan Broyles. Calvin Johnson, Kris Durham and Patrick Edwards, who should be available Sunday after missing the past two games with a high ankle sprain, all play on the outside.

"Wherever they think I can help us and contribute, then that’s what I’m here to do," Ogletree said. "I’ll play anywhere they ask me to. I’m trying to get a good feel for the offense and day-by-day get things clicking and find my way to help this team."

Ogletree said he’s been in the Lions playbook at night "until I close my eyes" but it’s yet to be determined if he’ll be ready to help Sunday in Green Bay.

"There is a little bit of carryover from Dallas’ terminology and our terminology," Schwartz said. "He’s a veteran player. It’s just a matter of getting terminology down and stuff like that. He knows how to run a route. He knows how to do all the technique stuff that he needs to do. It’s a little different than getting a rookie or someone who has no experience up."

Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said the team will decide Saturday night, after only two practices, if Ogletree can play as early as Sunday.

"We looked at quite a bit of his target tapes from the last couple years, showed some promise," Linehan said. "We’ll see. It’s early, we don’t know a whole lot about him yet.

"He’ll probably be asked to do something for us, because of our receiver depth, but we’ll decide when that’ll be – this week, next week, I don’t know."